TIFF 51: Best Actress Watch – “Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!” and “Prima Facie”

by Eurocheese

Rinko Kikuchi could become the first Japanese Best Actress Oscar nominee ever if HA-CHAN, SHAKE YOUR BOOTY! goes all the way.

Continuing our quest to find potential Best Actress contenders among TIFF screenings, we have already seen nomination potential in The Debut, Being Heumann and Onwards and Sideways. Next up, we have the Canadian premiere of Rinko Kikuchi’s performance in Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! after its Sundance competition slot earlier in the year, and the international premiere of Cynthia Erivo’s work in the film adaptation of Suzie Miller’s one-woman play, Prima Facie…

Click to read more ...

TIFF 51: Mahershala Ali learns to be a better father in “Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother”

by Cláudio Alves

In the current political climate, it feels incredible, nigh impossible, for such a movie as Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother to come out of a major Hollywood studio. Yet, here it is, in all its MGM-backed glory with a TIFF world premiere to boot.

Bassam Tariq’s third feature and follow-up to 2020’s Mogul Mowgli, concerns a man of that profession which seems ever-so-common in moving pictures, but not so much in real life – the contract killer. He’s Latif, whom we meet in a peculiar scenario, intercutting between the mess of murder in a public toilet and a mysterious dialogue spoken by childish voices, illustrated by intertitles that disrupt the violence. It’s about Islamic scripture, a reflection of Latif’s devotion and a prelude to the news that is about to shake him to his core. Whom do you owe the most respect? The prophet, asked this three times, answers the same words each time: your mother. And who have Latif’s children lost while their father was away, spilling blood? Their mother…

Click to read more ...

TIFF 51: “Tangles” packs a personal punch, wrestling with Alzheimer’s through animation

by Eurocheese

One of the top reasons to attend festivals is to find surprises, films that far exceed expectations and become unforeseen favorites. I had no plans to write up Leah Nelson's Tangles, though I knew it was getting good reviews. When I stumbled out of the theater, unable to keep tears from streaming down my face, I knew it deserved a reaction here at The Film Experience. This animated gem is not only for those who have been impacted by Alzheimer's directly, but for anyone who has loved ones aging into their final years, when we begin the difficult process of learning how to say goodbye...

Click to read more ...

Review: "Resident Evil" perfectly toes the line between Comedy and Horror

by Ben Miller

It should come as no surprise that director Zach Cregger knows how to blend horror and comedy together successfully. Even when taking a piece of well-established IP such as Resident Evil, the director delivers a thrilling blend of fun and entertainment in a way only he can.

While this film serves as a reboot of the franchise, the spirit of the games in well intact. Characters reference the Umbrella Corporation, while Racoon City is one of the main settings. It might be a big idea, but Cregger keeps everything pretty small-scale. This is a story about one guy attempting to survive and the little people he comes in contact with. It's not about the overarching story, or even with any recognizable characters. It's just the character-driven story, which is a nice change of pace for a video game movie...

Click to read more ...

TIFF 51: Best Actress Watch – “Being Heumann” and “Onwards and Sideways”

by Eurocheese

Ruth Madeley might be a new Best Actress contender for her work in BEING HEUMANN.

Coming into the fall festivals, no category has been a larger question mark in the Oscar race than The Film Experience’s highest honor – Best Actress. Aside from a couple of clear frontrunners (see my comments on The Debut), there appears to be room for a number of new challengers to find their way into the race. How likely are some of the pictures debuting at Toronto to factor in? If these two world premieres are any indication, the race is heating up. There’s Being Heumann, starring a heroic Ruth Madeley, and Onwards and Sideways, with the lovely Laura Linney…

Click to read more ...